Kyrgyzstan is nestled in the Tien Shan mountain range of Central Asia, bordered by China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. This is a nation of ragged and wild mountainscapes, nomadic traditions, and unique yurts that many shepherds call home. The country also boasts great ethnic diversity, including Turkics, Europeans, and East Asians. Yet its agricultural economy is stymied by its mountainous, landlocked location.

Kyrgyzstan gained independence from the USSR in 1991, but the new government was characterized by further corruption and heavy-handedness. Deep ethnic, political, and communal divisions have also led to instability and violence. The first two post-Soviet presidents were ousted from power, revealing the people’s widespread disillusionment with the government. Kyrgyzstan celebrated their first peaceful transfer of presidential power in 2011. But corruption, ethnic divisions, border security concerns, and the threat of terrorism continue to inhibit positive and lasting change. High unemployment and widespread poverty have forced hundreds of thousands to seek work in Russia and Kazakhstan. Many rural citizens have moved to Kyrgyzstan’s cities in search of better economic opportunities, which has created a growing population of slum-dwellers. High rates of alcoholism, drug trafficking, gambling, and prostitution have only magnified the nation’s suffering.

A primarily Muslim nation (89%), Kyrgyzstan’s cultural identity is tightly associated with its Islamic faith. Yet many continue to practice ancestor worship. The Occult, demonic forces, and shamans also hold many in further bondage. Christianity is claimed by only about 5%, the majority being Orthodox. Though the Church in Kyrgyzstan was once primarily expatriate, today Kyrgyz believers make up a significant portion! The Christian faith saw great growth after Communism. And although this growth has slowed, the Church is maturing. Hundreds of Protestant congregations now exist, as well as many unregistered house churches. Kyrgyz Muslims are often resistant to the Gospel, even intimidating believers through property destruction and physical violence. But the prevalent needs of the poor, disabled, and elderly provide an open door for the Body of Christ to manifest the love of Jesus to “the least of these.”

As we continue on the nightly prayer conference call during Ramadan, using the Prayercast Ramadan Challenge prayer points, let us unite in prayer that the church in Kyrgyzstan will grow. Let us pray that there will be those who will come under the shadow of Jesus, and for the Light of Christ to shine in that Nation.

PRAYER POINTS

• Pray for people to find true hope in Jesus rather than from a secular government.

• Pray for the small Church to mature in faith and stand strong against evil.

• Pray for courage for cultural Muslims who are open to Jesus but frightened by potential persecution.

Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!

Blaine Scogin, Prayer Director of Persecution Watch and Voice of the Persecuted

VOP Note: If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.

Nightly Call scheduled through Ramadan

Call Number: 712-775-7035Access Code:281207#

Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!

MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes

Available International IDOP Prayer Conference Call Numbers

(Note: If using one of the call numbers below, you may experience issues in your country. If you are unable to connect, try using the VoIP dialer available at this link. Click on VoIP dialer, go to this number 712-775-7035 in the drop down menu—enter access code 281207 (do not add the # symbol)—enter your name and click on the ‘Place Call’ button.)

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God is at work across the Persian World and Turkestan. Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus Christ like never before. Muslims like Keivan.

Keivan grew up in a Muslim family in Iran.

Though he had grown skeptical of all religion, after an encounter with God at a church, He came to understand and know the love of Jesus Christ.

He now wants to share that love with the world!

We are bombarded almost daily with news of barbaric acts of terrorism. But if all we know about Islam is what we see on the news, we are missing an incredible story:

The greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in history is happening NOW.

Everywhere Islam exists people are being drawn to Jesus Christ.

This is happening in direct correlation to increased movements of prayer.

God is MOVING and He’s inviting YOU to join Him.

As we continue on the nightly prayer conference call during Ramadan, using the Prayercast Ramadan Challenge prayer points, let us unite in prayer that the church in Persia will grow. Let us pray that there will be those who will come under the shadow of Jesus, and for the Light of Christ to shine in that Nation.

PRAY for thousands more throughout the Persian World and Turkestan to come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!

Blaine Scogin, Prayer Director of Persecution Watch and Voice of the Persecuted

VOP Note: If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.

Nightly Call scheduled through Ramadan

Call Number: 712-775-7035Access Code:281207#

Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!

MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes

Available International IDOP Prayer Conference Call Numbers

(Note: If using one of the call numbers below, you may experience issues in your country. If you are unable to connect, try using the VoIP dialer available at this link. Click on VoIP dialer, go to this number 712-775-7035 in the drop down menu—enter access code 281207 (do not add the # symbol)—enter your name and click on the ‘Place Call’ button.)

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Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – “The Church should continue to correct the distorted historical narrative of fundamentalist’s ideology which identifies colonialism and Western civilization with Christianity” say the Rectors of Seminaries of Nigeria in the document published at the end of a committee workshop held in early May at the Spiritan School of Philosophy in Isienu, Nsukka.

In the document entitled “Christian witness in the face of Islamic militancy”, the history of Islam in Nigeria is briefly traced, underlining that in the nineteenth century the struggle against British colonizers by the Islamist preacher of the Fulani ethnic group, Uthman dan Fodio , “waved the flag of pure Islam and refused all Western Culture”.

A century and a half later, Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen continue the same ideological line. Boko Haram has committed “ceaseless attacks on churches and schools, communities and security agencies, leading to the loss of thousands of lives and property. And today Fulani herdsmen kill, plunder and occupy territories without the government being able to stop them”.

“These groups – underline the Rectors of seminaries – are motivated by the ideology that Islam has to rule in all spheres of life. And above all Western civilization is antithetical to Islam and it is not possible for Islam to co-exist with democracy and with those they call infidels”.

To counteract these trends, the statement suggests fighting against ignorance “that plays a vital role in the history of fundamentalism”. “For this reason the Church and the government should continue to foster education at the grassroot and establish schools where they are not found”.

Christians should also promote policies of economic development, defense of democracy and fundamental human rights, above all that of life, remaining united in professing their faith and bearing witness to the love of Christ. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 25/5/2018)

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Thoughts of Afghanistan bring images of war, violence, and terror. In the face of decades of suffering, it can be easy to forget the many people who live this reality day after day. Seventy-seven people groups, both tribal and nomadic, dot the beautiful Afghan countryside. This diversity is also shown in landscapes that vary from grassy and arid mountainous regions, to plains with lush valleys, and even cities like Kabul with bustling open air markets. Though their history is plagued by instability, the unique culture of Afghanistan continues to thrive.

The Afghan people have suffered greatly from over thirty years of conflict both from internal factions and external groups. A devastating civil war, followed by the oppressive rule of the Taliban, an extremist Islamic group, has created a society where over half the population has known nothing but war. These conflicts left over a million dead, an estimated four million children orphaned, and approximately 2.5 million refugees. Even though the Taliban was driven out and a democratic government established (2002-2004), corruption remains rampant, and the still-prominent Taliban and tribal warlords continue to destabilize the nation. The government has struggled to rebuild its infrastructure and continues to rely heavily on foreign aid. With one of the world’s lowest living standards, most live in poverty, and over half lack access to clean water. Additionally, Afghanistan’s destructive opium production rate is the highest in the world. These harsh conditions contribute to a life expectancy of only fifty years and a population where 40% are under the age of fourteen. Under the oppressive Taliban reign (1996-2001), girls were often forced to marry as children, could not receive an education or be employed, were required to wear a full burqa in public, and could not leave the house unless accompanied by a male chaperone. Though conditions for women have improved, they remain a particularly vulnerable part of society.

One of the least reached nations on earth, Afghanistan is 99.9% Muslim with 72 unreached people groups. There are roughly 48,000 mosques and zero church buildings. Afghanistan is one of the world’s most persecuted nations, where any belief contrary to Islam is illegal. Converting from Islam to Christianity can result in death, and believers gather and worship in secret. Yet extremist violence has caused many Muslims to question their faith. Though impossible to document, it is undeniable that the Church is growing, and Muslims are turning to Christ. Some have encountered Jesus in dreams and visions; others have heard the Gospel through Christian radio. Christian relief agencies also manifest the love of God through meeting the nation’s immense physical needs. Some of these humanitarian workers have even died as martyrs. But amid great persecution, there are perhaps several thousand believers in Afghanistan today!

As we continue on the nightly prayer conference call during Ramadan, using the Prayercast Ramadan Challenge prayer points, let us unite in prayer that the church in Afghanistan will grow. Let us pray that there will be those who will come under the shadow of Jesus, and for the Light of Christ to shine in that Nation.

Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!

Blaine Scogin, Prayer Director of Persecution Watch and Voice of the Persecuted

VOP Note: If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.

Nightly Call scheduled through Ramadan

Call Number: 712-775-7035Access Code:281207#

Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!

MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes

Available International IDOP Prayer Conference Call Numbers

(Note: If using one of the call numbers below, you may experience issues in your country. If you are unable to connect, try using the VoIP dialer available at this link. Click on VoIP dialer, go to this number 712-775-7035 in the drop down menu—enter access code 281207 (do not add the # symbol)—enter your name and click on the ‘Place Call’ button.)

Australia +61 (0) 3 8672 0185

Austria +43 (0) 732 2781155

Belgium +32 (0) 9 324 29 17

Brazil +55 61 4040-4314

Bulgaria +359 (0) 2 495 1527

Canada (712) 775-7060

Chile +56 (0) 44 890 9161

China +86 (0) 510 6801 0117

Costa Rica +506 4000 3885

Croatia +385 (0) 1 8000 065

Cyprus +357 77 788854

Czech +420 225 852 060

Denmark +45 78 77 36 35

Dominican Republic (829) 999-2585

Estonia +372 614 8061

Finland +358 (0) 9 74790032

France +33 (0) 1 80 14 00 56

GCC/Arabian Peninsula +973 1656 8325

Georgia +995 (0) 706 777 110

Germany +49 (0) 89 143772955

Guatemala +502 2458 1416

Hungary +36 1 987 6821

Iceland +354 539 0323

Indonesia +62 (0) 21 51388813

Ireland +353 (0) 1 437 0318

Israel +972 (0) 76-599-0026

Italy +39 06 8997 2187

Japan +81 (0) 3-5050-5075

Kenya +254 (0) 20 5231033

Latvia +371 67 881 516

Lithuania +370 (8) 37 248962

Luxembourg +352 20 30 10 03

Malaysia +60 (0) 11-1146 0070

Mexico +52 (01) 899 274 5015

Netherlands +31 (0) 6 35205061

Nigeria +234 (0) 1 440 5221

Norway +47 21 93 53 35

Pakistan +92 (0) 21 37130640

Panama +507 838-7821

Poland +48 32 739 96 40

Portugal +351 21 114 3145

Romania +40 (0) 31 780 7760

Slovakia +421 2 333 255 32

Slovenia +386 (0) 1 828 03 25

South Africa +27 (0) 87 825 0107

South Korea +82 (0) 70-7686-0015

Spain +34 931 98 23 70

Sri Lanka +94 (0) 11 5 322961

Sweden +46 (0) 31 781 06 26

Switzerland +41 (0) 43 550 70 55

Taiwan +886 (0) 985 646 917

Turkey +90 (0) 212 988 1713

Ukraine +380 (0) 89 323 9978

United Kingdom +44 (0) 330 606 0527

United States (712) 775-7035

Vietnam +84 (0) 4 7108 0080

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SUMMARY: Tens of thousands of tropical coastline miles hem in the world’s largest archipelagic state of Indonesia. With over 17,000 islands separating the Indian Ocean from the Pacific, Indonesia and its people are as numerous as the islands themselves, and it stands as the fourth most populous country in the world. Unity proves to be a constant challenge as over 722 languages are spoken and people are scattered across 6,000 islands varying in composition from rural fishing villages to highly metropolitan mega cities. The 2004 undersea earthquake and tsunami, which left over 220,000 either dead or missing and displaced millions more, established a tragic sense of unity, yet challenges remain.

From the early 16th century until the mid 1940’s, Indonesia found itself at the center of colonization and imperialism. The Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Japanese all took turns as uninvited rulers of Indonesian lands, but the nation gained independence by 1945. A 1965 communist coup brought General Suharto into power, and while the economy flourished for periods of his thirty-year reign, Suharto was an oppressive dictator who led with little regard for his people. Riots and a collapsing economy ended Suharto’s rule in 1997 and ushered in a time of reconstruction. In 1999, the first free and fair legislative elections were held and the economy has subsequently begun its climb upwards.

Persecution is a reality for many believers in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation in the world. While only 15% of the population claim to follow Christ, the church in Indonesia is experiencing profound unity as a result of persecution, and mission organizations are growing in number, reaching many through evangelistic endeavors. Indonesian believers also face a unique challenge as many of their neighbors are in geographical transition due to large-scale resettlement projects, migration, and forced relocation due to natural disasters. However, the emergence of Indonesian as the national language has allowed the Gospel to be communicated across ethnic and geographic borders as never before.

As we continue on the nightly prayer conference call during Ramadan, using the Prayercast Ramadan Challenge prayer points, let us unite in prayer that the church in Indonesia will grow. Let us pray that there will be those who will come under the shadow of Jesus, and for the Light of Christ to shine in that Nation.

Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!

Blaine Scogin, Prayer Director of Persecution Watch and Voice of the Persecuted

VOP Note: If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.

Nightly Call scheduled through Ramadan

Call Number: 712-775-7035Access Code:281207#

Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!

MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes

Available International IDOP Prayer Conference Call Numbers

(Note: If using one of the call numbers below, you may experience issues in your country. If you are unable to connect, try using the VoIP dialer available at this link. Click on VoIP dialer, go to this number 712-775-7035 in the drop down menu—enter access code 281207 (do not add the # symbol)—enter your name and click on the ‘Place Call’ button.)

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Voice of the Persecuted Asian correspondent (26 May 2018)— Thai Immigration and Tourist police resorted to yet another inhumane tactic targeting illegal migrants. On Sunday, May 20th, police went to all English speaking churches in Bangkok to check for people leaving and entering churches, in an attempt to arrest illegal migrants.

Five churchgoers were arrested from Silom district in Bangkok. All five were young Pakistani asylum seekers, mostly teenagers. They were heading to an Urdu church when they were stopped, then taken to the Immigration Detention Center. After some hours, they were released, miraculously, and were able to be reunited with their family.

A pastor from one of the English-speaking churches sent an email to the refugees attending the church warning them to stay away from the church during the week. The pastor wrote,

“………It seems that for this week at least, you need to be very careful and keep well away from any of the Bangkok churches. Therefore, we will cancel Thai and English lessons on Thursday this week. Other churches with similar groups are doing the same thing.

We will wait and see what happens before talking about next Sunday……..”

Last year, Thai authorities began a crackdown naming it ‘Operation Black Eagle’. Many illegal foreigners have been arrested since then, which also includes some refugees and asylum seekers. Many were arrested in November 2017. See VOP report

Please pray for our brothers and sisters as this is yet another attack by the devil to subdue them and keep them from worshiping Jesus. Also, Sunday is the only day when the families get an opportunity to get away from their hideous single room apartments. Not having a break from their harsh existence can be devastating.

VOP is on the ground in Thailand. Please Join hands with us to spread the love of Jesus. Help bring relief to those suffering in and out of Thailand’s IDC. Please consider our mission and donate, today. Go with us to Thailand through your blessings to share with these dear brothers and sisters who have suffered so much. God bless you and your families.

HELP SAVE THE PERSECUTED

Together with your generous help, we can reach the goal to alleviate horrific suffering. In darkness and desperation, let us serve in love, with open arms and giving hands to provide light and hope.

Every day, we thank God that He is working through you to care for His children and to further His Kingdom! As you greatly bless others, may God continue to bless you. Thank you so much for your support. We couldn’t do it without you!
You may also send your gift to:

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My Brothers and Sisters, the following verse is so familiar to many, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

We believe this in regards of our own salvation, but do we really believe that God died to save Muslims or other unbelievers?

One of our ministry partners said, “Since we joined in praying through Ramadan for Muslims to hear the Truth and follow Christ, we have lost a few who follow us.” During our nightly prayer conference calls, some of our numbers have also dropped since beginning the Ramadan Prayer Challenge.

These are Christians who believe we should not pray for the salvation of Muslims. Sadly, some even say Muslims deserve eternal torment.

Let’s continue in John 3:17. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged;”

Then verse 18 continues, “he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Let us think a moment. Were we any better off when, at one time, were we not all enemies of God? If we think we were better than Muslims, or other unbelievers. then dwell on the scriptures below,

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.. Romans 3:23

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life….Romans 5:10

What!!! Me? Born to Christian parents, in America, the West, in a Christian society…an enemy of God?!? But this is the testimony of the word of God. All of us were enemies of God. Both Muslim and non-Muslim. We all were enemies of God.

Consider these scriptures,

For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly…Rom. 5:6

But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…Rom.5:8

Jesus died to save all sinners.

Do you pray for those unsaved in your family, circle of friends or co-workers? Most Christians we know do. Will we ever stop praying for them, not likely. Surely, somebody prayed for us to come to understanding and the saving faith of a life in the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s easy to pray for those we care about, but what about the many unbelievers around the world you don’t know?

Some may argue that God has elected who would come to faith and be saved. We know that all of God’s chosen elect will be saved during their life on earth. But, it’s not humanly possible to know who God’s elect are before they come to faith. And like the thief on the cross, we can’t comprehend when their salvation comes.

Realizing what happens to unbelievers after death should lead us to share the Gospel with them as we pray incessantly, in hope, that they will respond and become a part of our Kingdom family.

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

Paul wrote in a letter to Timothy,

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. 1 Timothy 2:1-8

Paul, was also known as Saul of Tarsus before his divine encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. He was a persecutor of Christians and even agreed with and witnessed the stoning of Stephen.

It’s true that many Christians are being persecuted in Islamic nations. But let us not grow cold towards them and listen to Christ,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore [b]you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

As we continue on the nightly prayer conference call during Ramadan, using the Prayercast Ramadan Challenge prayer points, let us unite in prayer that the church in Asia will grow. Let us pray that there will be those who will come under the shadow of Jesus, and for the Light of Christ to shine in that Nation.

See tonight’s prayer conference call details below.

Najma has an encouraging testimony of a sister who was brought to faith in Jesus Christ through prayer. She also tells the story how her mother prayed for her Muslim father to come to faith in Christ through prayer.

As you pray for Muslims across South Asia and Indo-Malaysia, don’t forget that our God is mighty to save! He continues to save REAL people each and everyday. People like Najma.

Though her story is filled with horrific violence and immense suffering, it also is permeated with the miraculous power of God. Now a follower of Jesus, Najma has remained in India – at the risk of her life – to share the love of Jesus with other Muslims.

PRAY for Muslims in every corner of South Asia and Indo-Malaysia to be reached.

Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!

Blaine Scogin, Prayer Director of Persecution Watch and Voice of the Persecuted

VOP Note: If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.

Nightly Call scheduled through Ramadan

Call Number: 712-775-7035Access Code:281207#

Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!

MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes

Available International IDOP Prayer Conference Call Numbers

(Note: If using one of the call numbers below, you may experience issues in your country. If you are unable to connect, try using the VoIP dialer available at this link. Click on VoIP dialer, go to this number 712-775-7035 in the drop down menu—enter access code 281207 (do not add the # symbol)—enter your name and click on the ‘Place Call’ button.)

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(World Watch Monitor) Rights groups have called for the mandate of the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Eritrea to be renewed in June.

The human rights situation in the East African country has been monitored by the UN Human Rights Council since 2012, when it appointed Ms Sheila B. Keetharuth as the Special Rapporteur. In March this year she, however, acknowledged that during her tenure the human rights violations in the country have “continued unabated”.

Father Thomas Reese, of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, told a US human rights commission in April that Eritrea remained “one of the worst examples of state-sponsored repression of freedom of religion or belief in the world”.

“The State Department estimates that between 1,200 and 3,000 individuals are held on religious grounds,” he said. Among them are several Evangelical and Pentecostal pastors who have been detained for more than 10 years.

Evangelicals and Pentecostals in Eritrea have been at particular risk of detention since a 2002 law was passed prohibiting Churches other than the Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran Churches, and also Sunni Islam.

“The situation in the country is only getting worse”, Dr Berhane Asmelash told World Watch Monitor.

The Eritrean pastor who was imprisoned for his Christian activities and moved to the United Kingdom 18 years ago, said, “We’re seeing the abused becoming abusers. They know it is wrong but it was done to them too. The government, the president, has been successful in sowing division and creating mistrust. You can’t speak in Eritrea because it might make you end up in jail at any time”.

The rare protests that were seen in the streets of the capital Asmara in November, following the government’s plans to turn all schools public, were not a sign of a possible ‘Eritrean Spring’, according to him. It won’t be repeated again soon, he said, “because of what happened to the protesters: they were arrested, jailed, and tortured. They [the authorities] will make sure you won’t do it again. And it discourages anyone who has similar ideas”.

‘Who needs people?’

The pastor was visiting a refugee camp in Ethiopia three weeks ago. At the end of 2017 Ethiopia was host to 164,668 Eritrean refugees with most of them in transit to other destinations.

People are “streaming out of [Eritrea]”, he told World Watch Monitor. Just the week before about 5,000 people had crossed the border, he said.

World Watch Monitor reported last month that an estimated 10 per cent of Eritreans have fled the country since the turn of the millennium, finding refuge in neighbouring countries or crossing the Mediterranean in search of safety in Europe and beyond. They have become the ‘top group’ of African asylum seekers in 2017.

People leaving their country “is exactly what the government wants”, the Eritrean pastor said. “They say: ‘Who needs people? They only cause trouble’.”

He says that there are hardly any young people left in the country. “The regime makes it impossible for them to stay. They leave the country because they can’t find a job or have a normal family life because of the mandatory conscription. Or they are kidnapped, like the son of a friend of mine. He was sold to someone in Sudan and his father had to pay a ransom to get him back”.

It is a bleak picture the pastor paints of his home country, which has been dubbed the “North Korea of Africa”.

“The kind of people the government want in the country are like the woman I saw in a disturbing YouTube video”, he told World Watch Monitor.

“In an interview with the Eritrean state television she said she had been paralysed but that, after having washed herself in a dam that was built by the government, she had been healed. She praised the president for that. For her it was now first the president, then Jesus.”

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The use of any material or its part from this website and quoting in mass media requires appropriate credit and a link to the Voice of the Persecuted page where the information was taken.

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